Shirt-clamping mechanism



July 13, 1965 w. F. GAYRING 3,194,455

SHIRT-CLAMPING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 22, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WAZZACE F GAVE/1V6 OTTOIQNEYI July 13, 1965 w. F. GAYRING SHIRT-CLAMPING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1964 FIGS.

INVENTOR.

M42 1 4 r: f. 64 YR/IVG M' FQ 0 7' TOkNE Y3 July 13, 1965 w. F. GAYRING 3,194,456

SHIRT-CLAMPING' MECHANISM v I Filed Jan. 22, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 14 4144 r GAYA /A G f5 .94 J ZK J? arm/mu:

United States Patent 3,194,456 HlRT-CLAMPING MECHANISM Waliace F. Gayring, Minna, N.Y., assignor to Ameteir, llnc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 339,438 13 Claims. (Cl. 223-57) The present invention relates to garment-pressing machines, and in particular to a shirt-clamping mechanism for use in a shirt-pressing machine for securing the fronts or tails of a shirt during a pressing operation or cycle. This is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 157,784 of December 7, 1961 entitled Universal Shirt Clamp, now abandoned.

The so-called cabinet body press is a shirt-pressing machine which is designed to press the bosom or body of a shirt, including the side areas, the front and back of the shirt and embodies a bodyform or buck which is adapted to receive the shirt. A typical machine of this type is shown in US. Patent No. 2,807,396 of September 24, 1957 which is entitled Single Lay Shirt Press and assigned to the assignee of the instant application. In the past, provision has been made for securing the shirt fronts or tails to the body form or buck during the bodypressing operation by a relatively stationary T-s-hape clamp which extends in a vertical direction from the base of the pressing macmne, with the clamp being engageable horizontally against the shirt tails or fronts. However, the use of such relatively stationary T-shaped clamp has had a number of disadvantages, particularly with respect to the inability to secure the shirt fronts to the body form at the lower corners of the shirt fronts and the difficulty of handling shirts of different sizes and styles. It has con suggested that the front corners of the shirt be secured to the body form by the use of pins or the like but this has proven unsatisfactory since it is time consuming and often causes creasing. The problem of greater consequence is that of handling shirts of different sizes which, depending upon their lengths and girths, will require the clamping of the shirt fronts or tails at different locations, both vertically and laterally of the body form. In a typical laundry operation, it is necessary to press mens and boys dress and sport shirts which vary in style and size as well as ladies blouses and blouse-type shirts. With the recent advent of the jacket-type shirt, which is worn external to the trousers or skirts by both men and women, the requirement for flexibility in the shirt-clamping mechanism has become still more pronounced.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shirt-clamping mechanism which obviates one or more of the aforesaid diniculties. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide a tail clamp for a shirt-pressing machine which is capable of adjustment both vertically and laterally to enable the clamping of shirts and blouses of varying styles and sizes.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects and features of the present invention, there is provided a tail clamp for a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form which comprises a base including a head-mounting member which is adapted to be mounted on the table of the machine. A clampsupporting head is mounted on the head-mounting memher for movement to longitudinally adjusted positions relative to the body form. A pair of clamps project from the clamp-supporting head and are mounted thereon for movement to laterally adjusted positions relative to the body form. Means are provided for interengaging the clamps for coordinating the clamps for simultaneous lateral adjustment. In a typical machine, provision is made for urging the clamps towards the body 3,194,456 Patented July 13, 1965 form for engagement with a shirt draped thereon by an operator and pedally-controlled actuating means are provided for moving the clamps away from the body form to enable the shirt to be draped thereon by the machine operator. The provision for vertical and lateral adjustment of the clamps enables the operator to hold the opposite facings or fronts of the shirt against the body form to assure proper pressing, notwithstanding variations in the keystoning of the facings as shirts of different girths are handled and changes in the vertical position of the lower front corners of the shirt as different sizes and styles of shirts are encountered under typical working conditions.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment, When taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational View, with parts broken away, of a typical shirt-pressing machine or cabinet body press incorporating an adjustable tail clamp embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the body form of the machine, with a typical shirt draped thereon and with the tail clamp in one illustrative position of adjustment;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing a shirt of somewhat narrower girth and wider keystone between the facings thereof, with the tail clamp in a further position of adjustment;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing a shirt of somewhat shorter length and the shirt clamp in a still further position of adjustment;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, showing details of the adjustable tail clamp and its related mounting and pedally-.

operated actuated mechanisms;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, taken from the left of FIG. 5, with the operative or clamping position of the tail clamp being shown in the full lines and the inoperative or loading position being shown in the dot-dash lines;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational View, with parts broken away, showing the details of the mounting and co-ordinary mechanisms for the two clamps or arms of the adjustable tail clamp;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along the line 8-45 of FIG. 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a plan view, partially exploded, looking down on the movable table of the shirt-pressing machine or cabinet body press, showing details of the mounting and actuating mechanism for the tail clamp;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the head-mounting member of the tail clamp;

FIG. 11 is an exploded sectional view taken substantially along the line 1l-1i of FIG. 9 illustrating the progressive sequence for mounting the base and headmounting member of the clamp on the carrier member;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view similar to FIG. ,11 and showing the base and head-mounting member supported on the carrier member and held thereon by a locking sleeve; and,

FIG. 13 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the line 13-43 of FIG. 12 and looking in the direction of the arrows. 7

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a typical shirt-pressing machine or cabinet body press, generally designated by the reference numeral Zii, which may be constructed in accordance with the detailed showing of US. Patent No. 2,807,396.

Briefly, the machine 20 includes an upstanding cabinet 22. having opposed pressing. heads 24 therein which are adapted to receive a body form or buck 26 therebetween when transported from the illustrated loading position throughthe-adjaccnt open side 22a of the cabinet 22 into a pressing position intermediate and confronting the pressing heads 24} The body term or buck- 26 is mounted on a. carriage or table 28 having rollers or wheels 28a which ride on tracks 30' extending into the cabinet 22. The tracks 30 are mounted on the pedestal or frame 32 which projects toone side of the cabinet 22. As is generally understood, thebody form or buck 26 includes a neckband clamp 34, oppose-d sleeve expandcrs 36, and body or side expanders 33. At the operators position forwardly ofthe pedestal 32', there is provided a foot pedal 40 which in partcoordinates the multiple sequential operations of the machine 20, and in particular operates the-tailclampdfi, as will be substantially described. The several'expanders are controlled by an expander control lever 42, while the movement of the body form 26 is initiated by closing-the safety guard 44.

Briefly, in a typical sequence of operations, a shirt S is placed on the body form 26 in the illustrated loading position. Thereupon, the operator steps on the foot pedal 40m open the tail clamp 46 and withdraws the sleeve expanders 36 and the side expanders 38. The operator then places the shirt S on the-body form 26, clamps the upper part of the shirt S inplace with the manually operated neckband clamp 34, orients the shirt relative to the body form 26, releases the tail clamp 46 by removing pressurefrom the foot'pedal 40, andwactuatesthe lever 42 to operate both the sleeve expanders 36 and the side expa-nders 38. When this sequence'of operation is completed, the shirt S is positioned on the body form 26 and is. clamped thereto ready for ironing. In order to move the-body form 26 into the ironing position, the operator closes the safety guard 44 whereupon the internal mechanisms ofthe machine will automatically move the body form between the pressing heads 24- for a preset time interval whereupon the body form is returned to the illustrated loading position. To unload the pressed shirt S, the operator steps on the foot pedal 40 to-release the tail clamp 46 and with one hand releases the neckband clamp 34 to take the shirt Sofi of the body form 26. In the interest of brevity and since the invention does not specifically reside in the details of the shirt-pressing machine-2d,.further description thereof is dispensed with, it being understood that reference may be made to said patent to supplement. the description of the construction and operation of such typical machine.

In accordance with the present invention, the shirt or tail, clamp 46.is provided which is adjustable both vertically and laterally to accommodate shirts of'ditferent styles, sizes and girths. This may be appreciated by inspecting FIGS. 2 to 4 inclusive which show but a few of the many different pressing conditions encountered in atypical laundry operation. Preliminary to reference to FIGS. 2 to 4 inclusive for a description of typical adjustments, detailed reference will-be made to FIGS. to 13 inclusive for a description of a typical, but nonetheless illustrative adjustable shirt-clamping mechanism 46 demonstrating featuresof the present invention. As seen best in FIGS. 5, 6 and 9, the shirt-clampin-g mechanism or clamp 46 projects upwardly from the movable table or carriage 28' of the machine 20 in confronting relation to the lower front portion of the body form 26 in the region t-o'b'e occupied by the opposite facings or fronts f f of the typical sh-irtsfS' shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive. It will be appreciated that as the body form 26 with the shirt' S thereon is indexed from the loading position illustrated in FIG.. 1 tothe right into the ironing or pressing position between the pressing heads 24 that there will be a tendency forv the adjacent facing to be pressed against the body form 26 due to the airflow thereover while there is a tendency for the remote facing to be lifted away 4 from the body form due to sucha flow. Thus, to assure proper pressing it is particularly important that provision be made to adequately clamp the facings f f against the body form 26 no matter the size, style or shape of the shirt S and the degree of keystoning between the facings S gecifically, the tail-clamping mechanism or adjustable tail clamp 46-includes a mounting and actuating arrangement, generally designated by the reference numeral 48, having a carrier member SiP'eXtending fore and aft of the machine and overlying the table 23 (see FIG. 9). At its forward'end, the carrier member 59 terminatesin a bit cate'd mounting yoke 52 which includes an intermediate upstandingmounting'"lug 54 and spaced mounting ears 56, 58. Extending through the intermediate mounting lug 54 and the mounting ears 56,58 is a pivot pin 6% which is-journalledat its opposite ends in upstanding bearings or supports 62, 64 on the table 28- such that the carrier member 50 is mounted on the table 28 for rocking movement about a substantially horizontal carrier axis. Aswill be substantially described, the tail clamp proper 46 is mountcd'on' the carrier member Sll of the mounting and actuating arrangement iS fO'l movement between the inoperative or loading position shown by the dot-dash lines in FIG. 6 wherein-the tail clamp 46 is spaced from the body form 26 and the'operative or clamping position shown by the full lines in FIG. 6 wherein the tail clamp bears against the shirt Sand the body form 26.

Provision is made for normally biasing the carrier member 50 in a direction to urge the clamp 46 into the operative or clamping position for engagement with the shirt S draped on the body: form 26 by the operator. Pedally-controlledactuator means are operatively connected to the carrier member 5% for turning the latter in the opposite direction for moving theyclamp 46 away from the body form 26 to enable the shirt S to be initially draped thereon by the operator in position for engagementby the adjusted clamps. Specifically, an air-operated piston and cylinder 66 is mounted beneath the table 28-, with the piston rod 68 thereof projecting upwardly through an oversized hole in the table 28' and engaging the under-side of the rearward end of the carrier 50 which is formed as a coupling head 70; In order to enable adjustment of the rocking movement of the carrier memoer 50 under control of the air-operated piston and cylinder 66, an adjustable coupling bolt and nut 72 is mounted in an appropriate tapped hole in the coupling head 70, with the head of the: boltbearing against the piston rod 68-. A pair of springs.74,.76 are disposed on opposite sides of the air-operated piston and cylinder 66 and have their lower ends mounted on laterally projecting cars 78, 8t} secured to the cylinder 66- and have their upper ends connected to laterally projecting arms 82, 84 on the rearward end of the carrier member 50. Air is introduced into the lower end of the air-operated piston and cylinder 66' by the provision of an inlet line 86 which is connected via an appropriate valve arrangement 88 to supply line 90; with the valve 88 being under control of the foot pedal 4%. The arrangement is ,such that the springs 74, 76 normally bias the carrier member 5t) into the full line position shownin E1656 and correspondingly resiliently urge the clamp 46 towards the operative or clamping-position in engagement with the shirts draped on the body form 26. Upon depressing the foot pedal 4% the lower end of the piston and: cylinder 66 isconnected vialine 86 to the supply'line 90-, asis generally understood, Which drives the piston rod 68 upwardly through its operative stroke,pivots the; carrier member 5%) counterclockwise about the pivot 60 (as viewed in FIG. 6) and moves theclamp 46 to the inoperative or-loading position.

Theclamp' 46 includes an elongated rectangular-base 92. carrying an upwardly extending head-mounting. member 94 which serves as a slidable mount or rail for the resilient clamps or arms, as will be subsequently described. The base 92 is formed at its rearward side with an inwardly opening longitudinal socket $6 which is dimensioned to receive the upstanding mounting lug 54 on the carrier member 50, as may be appreciated by progressively inspecting FIGS. 11 and 12. Disposed on opposite sides of the socket 96 and depending from the base 92 are a pair of footings 98, 100 which are formed with pivot-receiving slots and are adapted to be received in the cutouts 52a, 52b formed in the yoke 52 on opposite sides of the upstanding mounting lug 54. Specifically, and as seen best in the detail showing f FIG. 13, the footing 98 is received in the cutout 52a between the mounting ear 56 and the mounting lug 54, while the footing 1th) is received in the cutout 5212 between the mounting lug 54 and the mounting ear 5%. In order to releasably lock the base 92 and the upstanding head-mounting member 94 on the carrier member 50, there is provided a locking sleeve 102 which is dimensioned to snugly fit over and slide along the base 92 and is movable into bridging and locking relation to the open side of the socket as may be appreciated by successively comparing the showings of FlGS. 11 and 12.

As seen best in FIGS. 5 to 8 inclusive, the tail clamp 46 includes a clamp-supporting head 1% which is slidably mounted on the head-mounting member 94 for movement to vertical adjusted positions along an adjustment line extending longitudinally of the body form 26. The clamp-supporting head 1% includes a front slide plate 1% which extends across the head-mounting member 94 and abuts against the same and a U-shaped rear slide member 108 which extends across the head-mounting member 94 at the rearward side thereof and is secured, as by soldering or welding, to the front slide plate 106. The plates 106, 103 cooperate to provide a sleeve which [is movable along the length of the head-mounting member 94. Spaced forwardly of the front slide plate 106 is a cover plate 110 which is secured to the sleeve 1%, 108 by spaced rivets or studs 112, 114.

A pair of resilient clamps or arms 116, 118 are arranged symmetrically of the vertical adjustment line of the slidable head 1M and project therefrom in substantially the same angular relationship. The inner ends of the respective resilient clamps or arms 116, 118 are pivotally mounted for turning movement about substantially horizontal adjustment axes extending substantially normal to the body form 26 for lateral adjustment by journalling such inner ends on the respective pins or studs 112, 114, as seen best in FIG. 7. The clamps or arms 116, 118 are of identical construction and are of decreasing resiliency from their free ends towards their mounted ends. In this illustrative embodiment, the clamp or arm 116 which is. identical in construction to the clamp or arm 118, includes a mounting segment 116a which is formed at its inner end with an integral gear 116b. The clamp or arm 116 further includes a stack of three lengths of spring steel 1160, 116d, 116a which are of progressively decreasing length and are arranged such that an inner portion of the clamp 116 contiguous to the mounting segment 116a includes three thicknesses of material, an intermediate portion includes two thickneses of material and the outer portion or free extremity includes a single thickness of material, as seen best in FIG. 8. By this expedient, strip stock of a single thickness may be employed to form the clamp or arm 116 of stepwise decreasing section and corresponding increasing resilience towards the free extremity which is to engage the shirt S draped on the body form 26.

As seen best in FIG. 8, the integral gear 11617 on the clamp 116 engages a corresponding integral gear 118!) on the mounting segment 11% of the clamp 118 to interengage the clamps 116, 118 for coordinated simultaneous pivotal adjustment about the respective adjustment axes 112, 114 in symmetrical relation to each other. Accordingly, the machine operator can achieve such adjustment by grasping one or the other of the clamps 116, 118. Adjustment of the vertical position of the clamps 116, 118 may be attained by grasping the clamp-supporting 6 head 104 or by pulling on the tab 120 securedthereto and depending therefrom.

Provision is made'for establishing a frictional interengagement between the head-mounting member 94 and the clamp-supporting head 1%- for holding the latter in any vertical adjusted position until manually displaced. Similarly, provision is made between the clamp-supporting head 1G4 and the clamps 116, 118 to hold the clamps in any rotationally adjusted position until manually displaced. In this illustrative embodiment, a single spring 122 is mounted on the head 1M behind the mounting segments 116a, 118a of the clamps or arms 116, 118, with the spring 122 having upwardly and downwardly projecting footing 122a, 12217 bearing against the upstanding head-mounting member 94 above and below the sleeve 1%, 1118. This spring serves to both maintain the vertically adjusted position of the head 1M and the rotationally adjusted position of the clamps or arms 116, 1118.

Referring back to FIGS. 2 to 4 inclusive, there is shown a number of typical adjusted positions for the vertically and laterally adjustable tail clamp 46 as may be encountered on a day-to-day basis in a normal laundry operation. In FIG. 2, there is shown a shirt S, which is substantially the full length of the body form 26 and wherein it is necessary to vertically adjust the clamp-supporting head 104 towards the upper limit of its travel, with the clamps or arms 116, 118 in a downwardly and outwardly projecting configuration to clamp the corners of the shirt fronts along the lower ends of the facings f 73. In FIG. 3, there is shown a further shirt S which is of somewhat narrower girth, such that there is a larger keystone or divergence between the left facing or button strip and right facing or buttonhole strip of the shirt. For this configuration, it is necessary to slide the head 1114 toward an intermediate position and to spread the arms or clamps .1115, 118 into substantially relation relative to each other. In FIG. 4, there is shown a still further illustrative shift S which requires that the head 1% be displaced to the lower limit of its travel, with the arms 116, 118 arranged in upwardly diverging relation.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that there has been provided in accordance with the invention a tail clamp for a shirt pressing machine which has a buck or body form on which a shirt may be dressed for pressing which comprises a clamp-supporting member or support bar which is mounted adjacent the buck having a support slidably mounted thereon for vertical movement. Clamp arms are pivotally attached to the support, with the clamp arms being adapted to be adjusted about their respective pivotal attachments to different angular positions and with the clamp arms being disposed against the buck for retaining a shirt thereon. Provision is made for permitting the tail clamp to be moved into and out of clamping 0r operative relation with the buck. Thus, it is a relatively simple matter for the operator to clamp the shirt tails or front corners, despite variations in the size and style of successive shirts. The operator is able to change shirts in a manner compatible with the general operation of the cabinet press such that the operators efficiency is not impaired and the loading or pressing operation is capable of going forward at a relatively rapid rate.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1. A tail clamp for a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form comprising a base including a head-mounting member adapted to be mounted on said table, a clamp-supporting head mounted on said headmounting member for movement to longitudinally adjusted positions relative to said body form, a pair of clamps projecting from said clamp-supporting, head,. means movably mounting said clamps for movement to laterally adjusted positions relative to said body form, and means interengaged between said, clamps for coordinating said clamps for simultaneous lateral movement.

2". A tall clamp for a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form extending upwardly therefrom comprising a base including an upwardly extending. headm'ounting member adapted to be mounted on said table, a, clamp-supporting head slidably mounted on said headmounting member for movement to vertical adjusted positions along an adjustment line extending substantially longitudinally of said body form, means frictionally intereng'aged between said head-mounting member and said clamp-supporting: head for holding the latter in any adjusted'p'osition'untilmanually displaced, at least one clamp projecting from said clamp supporting head, and means movably mounting said clamp for lateral adjustment relative to said body form.

3. A tail clamp for a shirtpressing machine including a table and a body form comprising a base including a head-mounting member adapted to" be movably mounted on said table, a clamp-supporting head mounted on said head-mounting member for movement to longitudinally adjusted positions relative to said body form, at least one clamp projecting from said clamp-supporting head, means movably mounting said clamp for movement to laterally adjusted positions relative to' said body form, means for urging said clamp toward said body form for engagement with a shirt draped thereon by an operator, and pedallycontrolled actuating means for moving said clamp away from said body form to enable a shirtto be draped there on by an operator.

4. A tail clamp for a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form comprising a base including a headmounting' member adapted to be movably mounted on s'aid'table, aclamp-supporting head mounted on said headmounting member for movement to longitudinally adjusted positions relative to said body form, a pair of clampsprojecting from said clamp-supporting head, means movablytmounting said clamps for movement to laterally adjusted positions relative to said body form; means inter,

engaged between said clamps for coordinating saidclamps for simultaneous lateral movement, means for urging said clamps toward said body form for engagement with a shirt draped thereon by an operator, and pedally-controlled actuating means for moving said clamps away from said body form toenable a shirt to be drape-d there'- on by an operator.

5. A- tail clamp for a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form extending upwardly therefrom comprising a base including an upwardly extending headmounting member adapted to .be movably mounted on said table, a clamp-supporting head slidably mounted on said head-mounting member for movement to vertical adjusted positions along an adjustment line extending substantially longitudinally of said body form, means frictionally inter engaged between said head mounting member and said clamp-supporting head for holding the latter in any adjusted' position until manually displaced, a pair of resilient clamps arranged substantially symmetrically of said adjustment line and projecting from said clamp-supporting head, respective means pivotally mounting said clamps for turning movement about substantially horizontal adjustment axes extending substantially normal to said body form for lateral adjustment of said clamps, and means interengaged between said clamps for coordinating said clamps for simultaneous turning movement about said adjustment axes in symmetrical relation to each other.

6. A tail clamp for a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form extending upwardly therefrom comprising a base including an upwardly extending headmounting member adapted .to be movably mounted on said table, a clamp-supporting head slidably mounted on said head-mounting member for movement to vertical adjusted positions along, anadjustment line extendingsubstantially longitudinally of said body form, means frictionally inter-'- engaged between said head-mounting member and said clamp-supporting, head for holding the latter in any adjusted position until manually displaced, a'pair' of resilient clamps arranged substantially symmetrically of said adjustment line and projecting from said clamp-supporting head, respective means pivotally mounting said clampsfor turning movement about substantially horizontal adjustment axes extending substantially normal to saidgbody' form for lateral adjustment of said clamps, means interengaged' between said clamps for coordinating said clamps for simultaneous turning movement about said adjustment axes in symmetrical relation to eachother, means for urg ingv said clamps toward saidbody form for engagement with a shirt draped thereon by an operator, and pedally controlled actuating means for moving said clamps away from said body form to enable a shirt tobe draped thereon by an operator.

7. In a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form extending upwardly therefrom and adapted tohavea shirt having fronts draped thereon, a tail clamp adapted to engage said fronts and hold said shirt on said body form comprising a base including an upwardly extending head-mounting member, means mounting said base on said table, a clamp-supporting head slidably mounted on said head-mounting member for movement to vertical adjusted positions along an adjustment line extending substantially longitudinally of saidbody form, means'frictionally interengaged betweensaid head-mounting member and said clamp-supporting head for holding the latter in any adjusted position until manually displaced, at least one resilient clamp projecting from said clampsupporting head, means pivotally mountingsaid clamp for turning movement about a substantially horizontal adjustment axis extending substantially normal to said body form for lateral adjustment, and means frictionally interengaged between said clamp-supporting head and said clamp for holding the latter in any adjusted position until manually displaced. v

8. In a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form extending upwardly therefrom and adapted to have a shirt having fronts draped thereon, a tail clamp adapted to engage said fronts and hold said shirt on said body form comprising a base including an upwardly extending head-mounting member, a clamp-supporting head slidably mounted on said head-mounting member for movement tovertical adjusted positions along an adjustment line extending substantially longitudinally, of said body form, means frictionally interengaged between said head-mounting member and said clamp-supporting head for holding the latter in any adjusted position until man ually displaced, a pair of resilient clamps arranged substantially symmetrically of said adjustment line and projecting from said clampsupporting head, respective means pivotally mounting said clamps for turningmovement about substantially horizontal adjustment axes extending substantially normal to said body form for lateral adjustment, means interengaged between said clamps for coordinating said clamps for simultaneous lateral adjustment about said adjustment axes in symmetrical relation to each other, and means frictionally interengaged be tween said clamp-supporting head and said clamps for holding the latter inany' adjusted position until manually displaced.

I 9. In a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form extending upwardly, therefrom and adapted to have a shirt having fronts draped thereon, a tail'clamp adapted to engage said fronts and hold said shirt on said body form comprising a base including. an upwardly extending head-mounting member, means mounting said base on said table for movement of said head-mounting member toward and'away from said body form, a clampsupporting head slidably mounted on said head-mounting member for movement to vertic'al'adjusted'positions along an adjustment line extending substantially longitudinally of said body form, means frictionally interengaged between said head-mounting member and said clamp-supporting head for holding the latter in any adjusted position until manually displaced, a pair of resilient clamps arranged substantially symmetrically of said adjustment line and projecting from said clamp-supporting head, respective means pivotally mounting said clamps for turning movement about substantially horizontal adjustment axes extending substantially normal to said body form for lateral adjustment, means interengaged between said clamps for coordinating said clamps for simultaneous lateral adjustment about said adjustment axes in symmetrical relation to each other, means frictionally interengaged between said clamp-supporting head and said clamps for holding the latter in any adjusted position until manually displaced, spring means operatively connected to said base for normally urging said head-mounting member toward said oody form for engagement of said clamps with the shirt draped thereon, and pedally-controlled actuating means operatively connected to said base for turning said head-mounting member in the opposite direction for moving said clamps away from said body form to enable a shirt to be draped thereon by an operator and positioned for engagement by said clamps after the vertical and lateral adjustment of said clamps.

It). A tail clamp for a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form extending upwardly therefrom, said tail clamp comprising a carrier member having an upstanding lug, means including a pin pivotally mounting said carrier member on said table for rocking movement about a substantially horizontal carrier axis, a base formed with an inwardly opening longitudinal socket dimensioned to receive said upstanding lug and including depending inwardly opening yokes arranged to straddle said upstanding lug and embrace said pin, a locking sleeve slidably mounted on said base and movable into and out of a locking position bridging said socket, an upwardly extending head-mounting member operatively connected to said base, a clamp-supporting head slidably mounted on said head-mounting member for movement to vertical adjusted positions along an adjustment line extending longitudinally of said body form, means frictionally interengaged between said head-mounting member and said clamp-supporting head for holding the latter in any adjusted position until manually displaced, a pair of resilient clamps arranged substantially symmetrically of said adjustment line and projecting from said clamp-supporting head, respective means pivotally mounting said clamps for turning movement about substantially horizontal adjustment axes extending normal to said carrier axis and said body form, and means interengaged between said clamps for coordinating said clamps for simultaneous turningmovement about said adjustment axes in symmetrical relation to each other.

11. A tail clamp for a shirt-pressing machine including a table and a body form extending upwardly therefrom, said tail clamp comprising a carrier member having an upstanding lug, means including a pin pivotally mounting said carrier member on said table for rocking movement about a substantially horizontal carrier axis, a base formed with an inwardly opening longitudinal socket dimensioned to receive said upstanding lug and including 1% depending inwardly opening yokes arranged to straddle said upstanding lug and embrace said pin, a locking sleeve slidably mounted on said base and movable into and out of a locking position bridging said socket, an upwardly extending head-mounting member operatively connected to said base, a clamp-supporting head slidably mounted on said head-mounting member for movement to vertical adjusted positions along an adjustment line extending longitudinally or" said body form, means frictionally interengaged between said head-mounting member and-said clamp-supporting head for holding the latter in any adjusted position until manually displaced, a pair of resilient clamps arranged substantially symmetrically of said adjustment line and projecting from said clamp-supporting head, respective means pivotally mounting said clamps for turning movement about substantially horizontal adjustment axes extending normal to said carrier axis and said body form, means interengaged between said clamps for coordinating said clamps for simultaneous turningmovement about said adjustment axes in symmetrical relation to each other, spring means operatively connected to said carrier member for normally biasing said carrier to adjust said clamps in relation to said body form in a direction to urge said clamps toward said body form for engagement with a shirt draped thereon by an operator, and pedally-controlled actuating means operatively connected to said carrier member for turning the latter in the opposite direction for moving said clamps away from said body form to enable a shirt to be draped thereon by an operator and positioned for engagement by said clamps after the vertical and lateral adjustment of said clamps.

12. A tail clamp for a shirt pressing machine having a buck on which a shirt may be dressed for pressing comprising a support bar mounted adjacent the buck, a support slidably mounted for vertical movement to any position on said support bar, clamp arms pivotally attached at one end to said support for adjustment to ditferent angular positions, the attached end of one said clamp arm engaging the attached end of the other said arm, whereby adjustment of the one said arm causes corresponding movement of the other said arm.

13. A tall clamp for a shirt pressing machine having a buck on which a shirt may be dressed for pressing comprising a support bar mounted adjacent the buck, a support slidably mounted for vertical movement to any position on said support bar, a pair of clamp arms pivotally attached at one end to said support for adjustment to different angular positions, the attached end of one said clamp arm engaging the attached end of the other said arm, whereby adjustment of the one said arm causes corresponding movement of the other said arm, and means for moving said tail clamp into and out of clamping position with a shirt dressed on the buck.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,788,162 4/57 Hitz 22357 2,807,396 9/57 Davis 223-57 FOREIGN PATENTS 709,314 8/54 Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TAIL CLAMP FOR A SHIRT-PRESSING MACHINE INCLUDING A TABLE AND A BODY FORM COMPRISING A BASE INCLUDING A HEAD-MOUNTING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON SAID TABLE, A CLAMP-SUPPORTING HEAD MOUNTED ON SAID HEADMOUNTED MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT TO LONGITUDINALLY ADJUSTED POSITIONS RELATIVE TO SAID BODY FORM, A PAIR OF CLAMPS PROJECTING FROM SAID CLAMP-SUPPORTING HEAD, MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTING SAID CLAMPS FOR MOVEMENT TO LATERALLY ADJUSTED POSITIONS RELATIVE TO SAID BODY FORM, AND MEANS INTERENGAGED BETWEEN SAID CLAMPS FOR COORDINATING SAID CLAMPS FOR SIMULTANEOUS LATERAL MOVEMENT. 